Disneyland Paris at Christmas

My absolute favourite time of year to visit Disneyland Paris is Christmas time. I love all the decorations and the special characters, parades and shows; clearly it hasn’t been all that in 2020 but I can’t wait to visit hopefully next christmas time. I’ve always loved the joy around Christmas and being at DLP at this time of year really does bring me a lot of joy. I hope that this post is a help to you and makes you want to experience DLP at Christmas so you can enjoy the magic yourselves!

One of the best bits about visiting DLP around Christmas are the special characters that do meet and greets. I’ve been lucky enough to meet rare characters like Jack Skellington, dressed as Santa, and Scrooge McDuck. A fan favourite is Stitch dressed as Santa who I’ve seen wandering around but I’ve never had the time for the long queue unfortunately. In the parks you can also meet Santa at his workshop which is a perfect treat for the children. All of the classic characters are also dressed in their festive finery, meaning that all meet and greets just have that extra special Christmas touch which Disney knows exactly how to do. I’d definitely suggest keeping your eye out for meet and greet times and aim to get to the area a little early as these queues can get extremely long. Another thing to do is look around for surprise characters as that is exactly how I met Scrooge McDuck, you see sometimes a rare character will just come out and you should quickly get in line as this could be a fab opportunity for any Disney fan!

The Christmas parade and fireworks shows are also not to be missed. I personally prefer the Christmas fireworks and projections to the normal park ones; this is because the festivity and magic feels so much more real at this time of year. The incorporation of special characters, like Olaf and Jack Skellington, into the shows is a real joy for any park visitor and makes the show perfect for all ages. The spectacular lights, projections and fireworks really are a fantastic sight and truly show any visitor the perfect magic that Disney creates. The Christmas parade is always a lot of fun, from toy soldiers and gingerbread men dancing along Main Street USA to Mickey and Minnie greeting all guests in a stunning Sleigh. Also as a special treat Santa himself will be in a fabulous float wishing a Merry Christmas to all park guests. These shows and experiences really do make the festive season at Disneyland Paris absolutely perfect and are a big reason why this is my favourite time of year to visit.

If you’re a foodie, like me, there are also fun festive treats across Disney property that you can purchase and enjoy. Cafe Hyperion normally has a couple festive options available, last year there was a special burger and a vanilla and berry mouse decorated with a Minnie bow. There’s a few more festive treats dotted around the parks at Christmas so I’d definitely suggest keeping an eye out for the seasonal options as you won’t be able to try them at any other point in the year. The Disney hotels also create a selection of festive cocktails for the season which are the perfect treat for the adult guest. If you are looking for a romantic night or a fun evening with your friends I’d highly recommend popping to one of the hotel bars and trying a couple of the festive offerings. Also each hotel has their own Christmas tree so even if you’re not staying at that hotel you could get a lovely picture and have a fantastic evening.

One of my favourite places to go for the festive season is Disney Village. The Village gets decked out and turned into an adorably festive Christmas Village full of treats and products that you won’t be able to find in the parks. There are many amazing photo spots throughout the village and you are missing out if you don’t try the waffles and chocolate strawberries. I’ve loved visiting this area over my last few visits as it completely transforms for the Christmas season. I personally like to visit in the evenings as the lights really make you feel like you’ve transported to a new place. The Christmas Village is also free to enter so it is perfect for a little cheap visit if you don’t fancy the parks that day/evening.

The decorations adorning the Disneyland Paris resort are completely enchanting throughout the festive season. If you stay at a Disney hotel look forward to a decorated lobby and even room if you’re lucky enough. The Disneyland Park is magnificent at Christmas time and always takes my breath away, from the massive Christmas tree to the twinkling lights adorning all of Main Street USA; and if you’re lucky you might just get caught in a little snow flurry as you make your way down to the enchanting Sleeping Beauty Castle. I honestly believe you can’t find anything more magical and storybook like than DLP at Christmas time which is why everyone should visit at least once at this time of year.

And there you are, my favourite parts of why Christmas time is my highlight of the year at the Disneyland Paris Resort. The decorations, characters and shows are perfect if you love the festivities and experiencing some Disney magic. Hopefully by the next holiday season we can all go and experience DLP at Christmas, because I think it’s a treat all of us Disney fans deserve after everything that’s happened in the last year. I hope this has given you the push to visit Disneyland Paris for the next Christmas season and that you have a magical time!